1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to portable memory devices and, more specifically, to a USB thumb drive chassis adapted to support a System-in-Package (“SiP”), miniaturized flash drive configured to mate with an ergonomically-sized housing. The invention also discloses a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Portable memory storage devices, such as memory devices with USB connectors, are increasingly utilized to portably transfer electronic data. One type of the portable memory storage devices are commonly referred to as thumb drives, which have ergonomically-sized housing that could be easily handled in a user's hand.
FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a conventional thumb drive, and FIG. 1B is another perspective view of the conventional thumb drive shown in FIG. 1A. In FIGS. 1A and 1B, a thumb drive 10 has a casing 12 formed of upper 13 lower 14 halves. At the forward end of the thumb drive 10, a male USB connector 11 projects out from the casing 12. As seen from FIG. 1B in which the upper 13 half of the casing 12 (shown in FIG. 1A) is lifted, a Printed Circuit Board Assembly (“PCBA”) 15 is shown as exposed and is supported within the casing 12. The PCBA 15 stretches along most of the entire length of the casing 12. The PCBA 15 supports memory and controller chips and provides the circuitry connecting these chips as well as other components or electronics necessary for a portable memory device.
The male USB connector 11 at the forward end of the thumb drive 10 is electrically connected to the circuitry of the PCBA 15 by means of soldering and secured to the PCBA 15 by this soldering as well as other mechanical means known in the art. The male USB connector 11 is a male USB connector with electrical contacts built in a metallic casing with two apertures on an upper surface, dimensions of its electrical contacts, casing and apertures are governed by the USB standard.
The resulting thumb drive 10 can be connected to a USB port in a laptop computer, PC, peripheral device, or any other USB-compatible machine or device. The thumb drive 10 is small enough to fit easily in a user's pocket and is useful for portable storage of data. The casing 12 of the thumb drive 10 is a convenient size for a human hand. It is not so large that it is bulky, and it is not so small that it is hard to handle and use.
Recently, miniaturized memory assemblies have appeared which replace the conventional PCBAs. These new assemblies incorporate memory storage, controller, and other necessary circuitry in a very small package, sometimes referred to as “System-in-Package”, or “SiP”. A SiP device can be a complete functional unit by itself in one multi-chip package and include appropriate electrical connectors for connection. The size of these SiP devices could be customized but generally very small. For example, a SiP device could be no thicker than a penny and less than about an inch (2.5 cm) in length. SiP memory devices generally are not much larger than the conventional male USB connector necessary for connecting the device to the USB port of a laptop or similar machine. But, the small SiP memory devices can be awkward for a person to use and carry, because it is too small for easy handling by a human hand and it could be more easily lost than conventional thumb drives. It is not easy to incorporate these miniaturized SiP memory devices into a conventional thumb drive casing, because the conventional thumb drive casing cannot provide sufficient support to the SiP device to prevent it from pivoting at the mouth of the conventional plastic case, thereby breaking the case when the USB connector is inserted into a USB port.
Therefore, what is needed is a structure that can support a miniaturized memory device, such as a SiP memory device, so that is easier for the user to handle and less likely to be lost when carried. Also needed is an ergonomic thumb drive that can provide support to a miniaturized memory device, so that the miniaturized memory device will not pivot within its casing during insertion into a USB port. Also needed is a thumb drive that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.